Pakistan’s Provocation

Pakistan has arrested several of its citizens for espionage. Four of those arrested are believed to be civilians, one is reportedly a major in the Pakistani Army (there are conflicting reports on this, as Pakistan has denied any of those arrested are military officers). Pakistan, like any country, takes espionage seriously. That they would make arrests should not be surprising. But this is an unusual scenario. The men that Pakistan has arrested are accused of working with the United States, and the mission they were involved in was locating Osama bin Laden. Whatever excuse they may offer, between its allies in the West and the terrorists in their mist, Pakistan defers to the terrorists.

While it is understandable that Pakistan would be angry that some of its citizens had co-operated with a foreign power, the Pakistani government may soon have cause to regret these arrests. How can Pakistan argue that it is doing its best to co-operate with the United States while arresting some of the few Pakistanis who were able to help America find its most wanted man? The arrests of these five men, after the conspicuous failure to find and neutralize bin Laden, says much about Pakistan’s commitment to the Western campaign against terrorism.

It will be years before the entire history of the intelligence operation that led to bin Laden’s killing is known, but we know enough already to appreciate how extremely difficult it was. After obtaining the name of a trusted bin Laden associate, whom the al-Qaeda leader used as a personal courier, the CIA began a two-year hunt for this man. They eventually tracked him down to the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, and that’s where the Pakistani agents came in.

One man owned a home that he rented out to the CIA as a safehouse (it is unclear if he knew he was dealing with American intelligence operatives in so doing). Using that house as a base, other Pakistanis working with the United States began to monitor the movements of the bin Laden courier, including the unusual compound that bin Laden was in fact residing in. How vital this part of the intelligence operation was to the overall effort to find bin Laden is not known, but was surely non-trivial. A continuing problem during the War on Terror has been the lack of any Western “boots on the ground” for intelligence gathering. The CIA’s recruitment of these Pakistani operatives is noteworthy for that alone. Identifying bin Laden’s hideout with enough certainty to kill him would likely have proven impossible without their help.

The killing of bin Laden was a victory for the United States, but a humiliation for Pakistan. It proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Pakistan is not a reliable partner in the War on Terror. To be sure, no doubt some Pakistanis are loyal to the West and consider al-Qaeda and the Taliban to be a hated enemy. But it is equally sure that just as many, if not more, of Pakistan’s military, political and intelligence elite are actively working against America’s interests in pursuit of an Islamist and/or nationalist agenda. Pakistan is a country riven into many disparate factions, some pro-Western, some pro-jihad, and everything else in between. It often tries to pretend otherwise, but discovering the world’s most wanted man living a few minute’s walk from a major Pakistani military academy hung out Pakistani’s dirty laundry for all the world to see. According to Western intelligence officials, retired senior officers from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (their senior spy agency) were aware of bin Laden’s location, and even helped to construct his home.

Matt Gurney is a columnist and editor at Canada’s National Post. Follow him on Twitter: @mattgurney

Fred Dawes

I smell a war coming and the end game is the third world war, what fun to come with 6 billion dead, The fact is obama wants this war of death and hell on earth it fits with what obama really is, total evil.

jacob

But the "administration" will still not cut off the billions it gives PAKISTAN, right ???

Just to show us the kind of "allies" good old USA relies on….

Fred Dawes

Part of the plan just look at the deal we have with Pakistan, see it for what it is, and if you can see it for what it is, build a really big Bunken.

kafir4life

I think we'll find that Tony D's muslima, Huma of the Ummah used her position with the Sack of State Clinton to find the identities of our informants, and passed them on to her bosses in the Iranian gov't, who then in turn passed them on to our allies in Pakistan.

davarino

Blah, and we are not at war with islam. Ok, check that, I have to keep reminding myself. I think all the nations will start to realize that we are in fact at war with islam. They want to live in the year 400 again? I say lets put them there as fast as we can, and put a lid on it and be done with this slow trickling blood letting.

budmanx

The lesson of Pakistan is this: Never trust a muslim, period. Any muslim who doesn't strive to impose Islam on the world is not a good musliim. Radical muslims were all once moderate muslims. As they become more devout they become more radical. Why? Because the Quran is radical, their role model Mohammed was radical. We need to stop believing ouor leaders and our media when they tell us Islam is a peaceful and fair religion. It's not. All devout muslims want to convert western culture into Sharia compliant muslam minions. If you think we are not at war with Islam you're part of the problem. If you think Islam has not declared war on us you're ignorant. We need to stop saying radical islam is our enemy and tell the truth, Islam is our enemy, period.

mike

Its like I've said before. Drop nukes and turn the whole God damned Middle East to glass. Vaporize Islam. This is one ideology that threatens life itself. Wipe away any trace of it.

damon mccann

If you include Israel in the drop Zone, the world world probably accept the innocent arab collateral damage. Greetings chicken-twirlers and hannikah squirrelers.

ObamaYoMoma

Indeed, the reason that Muslims never abide by the Geneva Conventions and always only fight using total war tactics in emulation of Muhammad, that is they never make a distinction between legal combatants and non-combatants, is because all Muslims are jihadists, including women and children.

The problem is no one in our federal government understands jihad. Hell, what our federal government and news media calls terrorism today is really violent jihad. However, most of the jihad that takes place throughout the world today takes place mainly through stealth and deceptive non-violent jihad, which includes mass migration to the West. Yet, our federal government is totally oblivious of this reality and as a result is totally fixated only on the violent variety of jihad, which it misconstrues as being terrorism, even though the stealth and deceptive non-violent variety of jihad represents an exponentially far greater threat to our national security by a long shot than the violent variety does.

In any event, when we face an adversary that ignores the Geneva Conventions, we should likewise ignore the Geneva Conventions and stop fighting with one hand tied behind our backs and needlessly sacrificing our troops to prove that we are morally superior, as Muslims could give a damn. Instead, we should fight also using only total war tactics.

We should also understand that all Muslims are jihadists as well, as there is much more stealth and deceptive non-violent jihad being employed by the Islamic world by far today than the violent variety

Wesley69

And whose side, is Pakistan on in this war on terror? They have taken our money, but have played both sides. They have sheltered Bin Laden, the Tailiban and al-Queda within their country. A nuclear power, Pakistan is deeply divided. Who is in charge? The President? The military??? How secure are their nukes??? What do we do if the Radical Islamists get their hands on them???

Their recent exchanges with China are disturbing. It seems that there is a realignment going on with Russia and China on one side against a disinterested and unconcerned US. These countries play the game of national interest for keeps. Our administration, if it could, would seek to disengage from the world, put its resources at the disposal of the UN, and abandon its great power status.

Fred Dawes

WHO SIDE IS OBAMA ON?

BS77

We have given Pakistan over 20 billion since 2001….and what has it gotten us? Here is a nation in chaos, totally corrupt and unmanageable, seething with violence and terror….and, most disturbing, has nuclear weapons.

http://mypage.direct.ca/l/lbouchar/ SeaMystic

We must get beyond words, in standing against Islam in our respective Democracies. Governments shackled by the Leftist Political Correctness, strangle the capacity of seeing our true Enemies. Vigilante groups must go to work, till our governments take up the responsibilities of our safety in our Democracies.
Incidentally, we are waiting for a Bomb Squad to clean up a residence of explosives, within a couple of hundred feet of our home. Residents have been moved etc. this is in Victoria B.C. Canada. Who's responsible???

Im all for vigilante groups. Where do I sign up??? I'm for banning Islam!! I live in America but I say this is one religion that should not be allowed to be practiced freely in the land of the free. Islam is not a peaceful religion. Moderate muslims are merely standby martyrs waiting for their orders. Islam is in direct conflict with what America stands for.

This toatally STUPIFYING relationship with backstabbing Pakistan , will be NECESSARRY , as long as we maintain forces in Afghanistan . For it is THROUGH PAKISTAN , our supply convoys pass . As long as we linger in that useless campaign , we will simply take the blows .In addition , our relationship with pakistan is likely the only thing that prevents a vwar between Pakistan and India , as Pakistan is relentless in its harrassment and attacks on India , like in Kashmir and the deadly Mumbai Slaughters . MAKE NO MISTAKE , Pakistan is an ENEMY -ON-A-LEASH , which occcaissionally turns and bites us in the arse .

duane harbeson

Well put……..

Adheeb

In the eyes of non-Christians, the United States sometimes appears to be a Christian nation (a Christian knows better). Islam has been at war with Christianity for 1300 years and we (the US) represent the enemy. Many people think the 'Crusades' were the result of some 'christian' knights getting up one morning and deciding to give the Muslims hell. Not true! The Crusades came after 300 years of Islamic expansionism into once 'Christian' lands.

Islam is at war with the US and western Europe (Christian Europe) because we represent the stronghold of Christianity & Judaism and our dedication to freedom of religion. We represent a threat to a religion which is spread by the sword. This is true of the Islamic extremist and moderate as well. One wants to kill you today, the other will tomorrow. Pakistan is not our friend. The leadership wants to profit from an association with us but the people hate us. They were helping bin Laden for years and intended to continued to do so. If we stop paying the freight they will openly join our enemies.

aspacia

We need Pakistan's consent to supply our troops in Afghanistan. Albeit, Jihadis has burned at least 2 Nato supply convoys, but short of starting another war, which we can ill afford, I do not see any other route but appeasement at this time. Look at a map for the logistics.

Amused

Pakistan IS an islamic EXTREMIST country , an enemy of the west , and a deadly enemy to Christians and Hindus. Mindless slaughter is in their blood , as was clearly proven in the 1970-71 India Pakistan War , in which millions of Hindus AND shia muslims were slaughtered in East Pakistan [now Bangladesh ] . All our billions given to Pakistan goes to this end . BTW , the US sided with West Pakistan during that war .China with the East . Go figure .

http://www.okcteaparty.com dan

There it is (as we used to say in the 'Nam). I knew something bad would happen when our "leaders" revealed that we had a Safe House in Abbottabad watching the Bin Laden coumpund. We just can't keep our mouth shut. We just have to make everyone know how we are so "clever" don't ya know.

alexander

thanks to scuuumbags e.g. working for New York comPost.
Liberalism is a mental disorder

Amused

You got that right DAN , we do seem to be a nation of BLABBER-MOUTHS . Some may call it hubris .

LindaRivera

And what is even worse, our government continues to give huge amounts of money to Pakistan. Pakistan has already been given billions of dollars by America.

alexander

weren't the informants supposed to get 10 mln dollars? That would help them to leave Pakistan………..

ObamaYoMoma

I don’t care war about the lame ass excuses the incompetent leaders in our Pentagon have to say about Pakistan. I mean it couldn’t be more obvious that they are all inept and unqualified in any event. What I want to know is why none of those incompetent bastards are being held to account for their gross incompetence and obvious dereliction of duty?

That’s the problem with the USA today, no one is ever held responsible and made to account for anything anymore. As for as I’m concerned, they should all spin time in the brig, as they have needlessly cost this country hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of unnecessary casualties and lives. At the very least, they should all be dismissed in disgrace!

Indeed, for the past 10 years instead of pursuing two silly fantasy-based nation-building missions in Afghanistan and Iraq to win the hearts and minds of Muslims, which is literally impossible to begin with, we should have instead attacked Pakistan to destroy their nuclear weapons arsenal and nuclear weapons program. We should have also ousted the ruling Mullahs of Iran and destroyed their nuclear weapons program at the same time to send a very loud and very clear message to the rest of the Islamic world that they better play by our rules or else.

Instead, thanks to the gross incompetence of our leaders in the federal government, the CIA, the State Department, and the Pentagon, we have emboldened our Islamic adversaries enormously by demonstrating to them how so incredibly incompetent the US government is, and what is really truly sad about the entire situation is that even after almost 10 years since 9/11, all the candidates for president still at this point appear not to have the first clue about the nature of the enemy we are facing. Indeed, they are all still totally oblivious. Hell, I don’t know if I can hold my nose and vote for another totally incompetent loon, even though none of them are quite as incompetent as BHO.

Nevertheless, Pakistan decided to make those arrests because it knows that because the US government is incredibly incompetent that it has little to fear and little to lose. I mean a few days after OBL was killed, Hillary Clinton like a loon was proclaiming that there is no evidence to suggest that Pakistan’s government knew the whereabouts of OBL’s location, and of course Gates and Mullen will recommend to Congress that we keep funding them, because they are both totally incompetent, which is also why they both have the jobs they have to begin with. In any event, any member of Congress that votes to continue funding Pakistan should be publicly exposed and targeted for defeat.

Today most Americans are concerned that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal might fall into the hands of so-called radical Muslims. However, if the American people weren’t so oblivious of Islam, thanks to our federal government and incompetent lamestream media, they would realize already that Pakistan’s nuclear weapons arsenal has all along always been in the hands of the so-called radical Muslims, which in reality is really orthodox mainstream Islam and orthodox Muslims.

In any event, the USA behind the scenes better be planning to destroy Pakistan’s nuclear weapons arsenal and nuclear weapons program and to stop Iran from also acquiring nukes before its too late, are else WWIII, which will make WWII seem like a picnic in the park, will become inevitable in the not too distant future.

kafir4life

Tony Da Weiner's muslima, Huma of the ummah, thru her boss, Sack of State Clinton, procured the names of the CIA operatives in Pakistan, passed them to her handlers in iran, who in turn sent them off to pakistan so they could deal with their traitors.

Kevin Stroup

The vast amount of Muslim terrorist activity in the world comes from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Pakistan. Why are we not dealing with all 3 of these countries in a very serious manner? We KNOW who the enemy is.

ObamaYoMoma

Because we have been preoccupied pursuing two fantasy-based nation-building missions to win the hearts and minds of Muslims to lift them up out of poverty, despair, and hopelessness via the imposition of democracy so that they won’t resort to terrorism and also to prevent their respective countries from becoming terrorist havens, and never mind the fact that poverty, despair, and hopelessness has exactly nothing whatsoever to do with terrorism and thank God it doesn’t because there would be far more people than just Muslims perpetrating terrorism around the world if those thing did, the fact that winning the hearts and minds of Muslims who are obligated to maintain nothing but enmity in their hearts for unbelievers is absolutely impossible, and the fact that the entire Islamic world is a haven for violent jihad, which is what terrorism really is, and also for stealth and deceptive non-violent jihad, which our federal government and the lamestream media are completely oblivious of. Moreover, Islam is also not a Religion of Peace™ being hijacked by a tiny minority of extremists, but instead a supremacist theo-totalitarian ideology that masquerades as being a religion to dupe and deceive the societies it intends to subjugate into a very draconian form of Islamic totalitarianism via the imposition of Sharia.

In other words, its because our politicians and our federal government couldn’t be anymore incompetent, inept, and corrupt.

StephenD

What we do is let China and/or Russia have it! They've their hands full already with their own "Islamic Uprisings." They want more? Let them have it. I say good riddance to Pakistan. Our only obligation should be to protect the only Western Style Democracy in the region, Israel, and let the world know in no uncertain terms that it is hands off Israel or war with us. As far as the rest of that cess-pool, they can have it.

Wesley69

We make sure their insanity doesn't come here. If the Muslim countires are foolish enough to be tied to an attack, we bomb them back into the Stone Age. In Asia, we try to contain Chinese expansion by supporting Japan, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Australia. Against Russia, we support the former East European countries and what Western European countries want to fight for their freedom. We will probably need to take our Chavez in Venezuela. That should should a message.